Who is Tiawana Brown? Charlotte councilwoman indicted on federal charges
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COVID fraud cases continue to grow
In the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic relief arrived in the form of government programs, but some people took advantage.
Fox - 13 News
A North Carolina grand jury has indicted a Charlotte City Council member on federal charges after prosecutors allege she used COVID relief funds to throw a $15,000 birthday party.
Tiawana Brown, 53, was indicted alongside her daughters Tijema Brown, 30, and Antionette Rouse, 33, on charges of wire fraud conspiracy and wire fraud in connection with fraudulent applications filed to falsely obtain COVID pandemic relief funds, Russ Ferguson, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of North Carolina announced in a May 22 news release.
In a statement shared by Kristie Puckett, a lobbyist for NC Second Chance Alliance, on behalf of Brown characterized the indictment as a 'deliberate effort to interfere with her re-election and silence her voice."
'I am not here to be tried in the media,' Brown is quoted as saying in the statement. 'However, I must address the allegations against me by the United States District Court. I will have my day in court, and I trust the process.'
Brown, who serves District 3 for the city, could not immediately be reached by USA TODAY. As of May 23, it was not immediately known whether Brown planned to resign from her city post.
USA TODAY also contacted the city of Charlotte, its mayor and Brown's attorney.
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Indictment: Tiawana Brown falsely obtained over $124,000
According to an indictment, from April 2020 through September 2021, the defendants conspired to execute a scheme to defraud the Small Business Administration's Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program and its Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), as well as obtain COVID relief funds for their alleged businesses by submitting loan applications with false information or false documentation.
The fake documentation included "fraudulent tax forms, among other misrepresentation," the indictment alleges, and goes onto say the defendants submitted false statements to obtain forgiveness of the PPP loan.
In all, the three defendants reportedly submitted at least 15 applications for EIDL or PPP funds and "falsely obtained at least $124,165 in connection with their scheme to defraud," according to the release.
The indictment also alleges that the EIDL and PPP funds were deposited into bank accounts controlled by the defendants. Instead of using the pandemic relief funds to pay for qualifying expenses as purported in the loan applications, the defendants allegedly used the proceeds on personal expenses, including approximately $15,000 on a personal birthday party for Tiawana Brown.
Who is Tiawana Brown?
Brown won the general election to become a Charlotte councilmember in November 2023. Her current term ends in December.
According to the city's website, Brown grew up in Charlotte, graduated from Myers Park High School and lives in the city with her daughter, Tijema Brown. Her other daughter, Rouse, lives in Atlanta.
Brown attended Johnson C. Smith University and was a previous board member of the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls, in addition to being a featured speaker on Capitol Hill in 2017.
What did Tiawana Brown previously go to prison for?
According to her Facebook bio, Brown is the first "formerly incarcerated person elected to Charlotte City Council" and "a fierce defender of truth."
Court records obtained by USA TODAY show Brown was indicted in July 1993 on fraud-related charges in the Western District of North Carolina.
According to the North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections, she served four years in prison in connection with the crime.
Online federal court records show Brown and her daughters were given $25,000 bonds on May 23. If convicted, Brown and her daughters face up to 20 years in prison for each offense, prosecutors said.
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@usatoday.com and follow her on X @nataliealund.
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